Author: Shana Carroll

After you’ve started the presentation with a solid introduction, transition from the introduction to the body by providing a summary of the current audience needs as you understand them. For example, picture yourself selling a new machine for an assembly line and you identified audience needs of project cost, schedule, and safety. When you begin the body of your presentation, you should summarize these with a simple statement such as, “From what you have told...

At this point in your presentation preparation, you’ve successfully established the connection between you and the audience, and explained why you are there. Now you need to lay-out the logistics of the presentation. Let the audience know what to expect People are busy and most presentations are scheduled, and advertised to attendees, to take place over a specific amount of time. Begin your presentation positively by letting people know how long the presentation is going to...

The introduction is one of the most important parts of any presentation. A good introduction will explain to the audience why you are speaking to them, establish your credibility, and inspire them to listen. The first rule of introductions is- don’t wait until you are in front of the audience to introduce yourself. Arrive at the venue early and engage audience members as they enter the room. There is rarely enough time for more than...

Once you have completed your Macro, Meso, and Micro level research it is time to identify your objectives. When preparing your presentation, you need to be able to answer two important questions: What is your desired outcome? And what is your audience’s desired outcome?  Objectives are dependent on many factors including the audience, the type of presentation, and, in the case of a sales presentation, where you are in the sales cycle. For example, if...

As a child, you were probably taught at a young age to respect your elders. This family value is prevalent in many cultures. As you aged, you learned life lessons from those who were older. Some of these teachings were life skills; perhaps your grandfather taught you how to bake, or your mother taught you how to fix a flat tire. Other training involved learning by experience. Think back to when you were a young...